Madam Shirley/God's Child

She's my former coordinator at Western International School in Toulkork, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I've always looked up to her as a 2nd mother. She's now in the US. Today I had a very meaningful conversation with her about life and love. Cf. Kaya ba kunong punuin ng isang balde ang lahat ng tubig sa dagat? I have to read the Bible daw jud everyday for God's wisdom and peace and all other blessings. Jia you Doki! Naalala ko tuloy si Jayeel Cornelio back in NUS in 2005-2006 and 2008. Mao pud na ija ingon naho. Nga gahi lagi kuno ko'g ulo. Ganyan ba ang faith mo Heide? Wala silang mga degree Heide but they just followed God's word or command. He did give me a copy of The Purpose-Driven Life in January 2006 after Christmas break.. Get down on your knees, Heide.. OBEDIENCE LAGI ANG KEY. Those were the words I'd always remember Fr Richards Ambrose with. RCIA. Jia you!

Jong2

He is my 2nd cousin sa Mama side, apo cja ni Lola Senda, anak ni Anhing Ojing. He's here in Cebu to look for a job. Actually 2nd interview na nija sa RAFI today so daku2 chance madawat na to cja. Ako ra sya gipanghatagan ug instructions unsaon pag-adto didto. Cge Jong, all the best to us always!

ALONE

Mao ni aho pirmi mahuna2an. That I am alone. Tinuod mn pud kay ako ra mn lagi isa diris bay since nigraduate si Michelle and decided that sa Bohol sya magwork. Karon ra mn ko January 2018 nagkahousemate in Jong2. But even if I am alone here in the house, di mn jud diay ko alone. I have neighbours that I'm sure are just a call away. Friends like Reymar, Cherile, Mam Inday and Mam Becing, Bianca and even Manong Boy Cozon who said tawgon lng daw nako sila if na'koy gibati or kinahanglan.. So matter of perspective ra diay jud tanan. Di lagi ko dapat maghuna2 ug dautan. Coz God and my parents and all our departed loved ones are here for me also. Di jud mi nila pasagdan. Keep the faith Doki!

Sleep Apnea

Bantil once told me that lain daw ang sound sa aho hagok. Especially kung kapoyon lagi ko. I think I have sleep apnea, kanang moskip ug beat imo heart kadyot. Gikan kos Bohol ato last December when nakamata ko nga nistop lagi beat ako heart then nakafeel kos dugo nga niflow.. I checked sa internet. Lose weight, not to drink sedatives ug have regular sleeping hours ra ang tambal aron maiwasan siya. Jia you Doki. The Lord loves you always. Amen jud. All praise and honour be to Him!

Columban

Basin meant jud ko magmadre. Kay hiring mn daw ang Columbans ron. Gusto ko itry if madawat ba ko. Thanks for this Lord. Amen. Si Mam Au na ang akong kontak nila. I asked if naa ba sila Cambodia. Heheh, ikaw jud Doki.

Challenge, Stress, Allergy

I would have to clean up the house so that wala nay abog diri. Kay mao nay nakasakit nako ron ug ubo. Allergy. Kay pino mn kaju abog diris bay lagi. Nagpa-ER pa kos UCMed last night kay di n mn ko katulog sa kahangos. Diphenhydramine (antihistamine) ray giinject nako. Jia you Doki. Nanilhig mn ko last January 6 gikan ko nagpadoktor. Hapit n mn diay pud end of the month. Due for cleaning na jud. Aho na mn nahinluan aho katre sa kwarto. Ang bed lng ni Ate Ica with all those stuff maoy aho gihinluan pud ganiha buntag. Di n pud ko pwede magbus to Dumaguete nga untop2. Husto na tong last January 20 ug January 27 nga balikan ko. Kay malate lagi ko nya kapoy pa kaju. Wa pa ko nagjacket last January 27 nga naglakaw ko to eskina. Labakara ra aho gibutang sa aho likod. Sa Mabolo na ko nagjacket. Gihutoy pud ko ato. Btw ibaligya daw ang bay nila Nang Myrna. Ngita ko buyer ron. I told friends. Jia you kanunay Doki. Think positive lng lagi always. Trust God.

Shioko & Opondo in Nairobi

On Facebook today, my classmates Shioko from Japan and Opondo from Kenya met up for lunch in Nairobi. 16 yrs after ISS daw. It's 17 actually. A while back she asked me if I have Opondo's email or contact number. I think I told her to ask Lava n lng for confirmation. It is indeed great to see friends reuniting all over the world. I floated the idea of a reunion today. After all, in 2 yrs time, we would have graduated from ISS 20 yrs past. Let's keep the faith. My ISS-ARD classmates: Shioko and Ayumi from Japan, Any and Giri from Indonesia, me and Salvador from Philippines, Lava from Nepal, Juliapatricia from Ecuador, Esteban from Argentina, the late Lucy Kirimi, Monica, Opondo from Kenya, William from Tanzania, and Ivan and Sarah from Uganda; Moi, Kandeh and Sam from Sierra Leone, and Manuel Kumba MBazo from Mozambique. Keep in touch, peasant-loving people. All the best to us always!

Move On!

Yesterday, 1/21/18 Ingko Lopoz told me to move on kay 40 na lagi ko kapin. Baw oi, ang pangutana, how lagi? And asa mn ko magmove on, from SG or from KH? Good luck Heide! Funny, when I was in SG, I was thirty-nothing. Coz I turned 30 man when I was there. Now after 12 years, I am 40 something. I miss Preeti, my flatmate there. Musta na kaya siya? Before SG: I met Ferolini Matahum. In SG I met Christian Bustamante and Jayeel Cornelio from ADMU, Jonathan Coronel, Mosses Buensuceso and Patrick Alberto Pua from DLSU. In KH I met Neville Tickner and Nick Simpson. When I came back to Philippines, there was Steve Solomon, Gai Arvin Bacol (he's married man diay) and Coach Caño (now with someone else). Now kinsay nabilin? Si Romualdo Maluenda, Richard Alfajora?, Ruel Limocon, Cecilio Sayasa. Si Manong driver pa sa motor. Kinsa jud kaha Lord no? Surprise me?? ;)

Prof Tongzon

He was the only Filipino professor at NUS Econ Dept when I was there. Taga Leyte mn diay siya. I even met his Vietnamese wife in church. Isa ra daw ila anak who at that time was studying in Auckland. Over the years after I left NUS, I have kept in touch with him. He was even here in Cebu July last year coz consultant mn diay kuno cjas PIDS on the trade project. Sa Australia mn eskwela ug PhD Econ si Sir, sa Univ of Tasmania. Nakahinumdum lng ko niya today. All the best to us always, Sir! ;)

Exotic

It was on the news that nanganak na jud eventually si Pokwang sa ila anak ni Lee O'Brien. Nakuhaan mn to cja before. At 47 nakaanak japon cja by Caesarean section. Si Paculanang pud is dating an old white man in PP. Daan pa lagi jud ko. Mahalin jud cja ug puti pormaha. All the best! ;)

PhD Studying

Nalingaw n mn kos amo eskwela sa Dumaguete every weekend. This January, 2 n lng jud ang amo klase, from 9am to 12nn n lng every Saturdays. Ig March n mn kuno phon momeet balik sila Dr Rivera ug Dr Cleope. Jia you! My classmates right now: Mam Vilma Sumampong and Renante Avergonzado of BISU Bilar Sir Butch Cañal of Samar State Univ. Catbalogan Sir Jiolito Benitez of CNU Mam Aloha Tolin of NORSU Main Mam Sarah Valencia of NORSU Bais Mam Lyn Melgar of Bacolod Sir Jason Cocjin of WVSU Iloilo Sir Justin Jude Bolado of SU? Dungan na mi pangaon mga taga-out of town. The boys pud because they are married would talk of going to the pub and do participant observation. Hahah. God bless us always!

Roxas Park, Garcia-Hernandez, Bohol

We were there diay for Mama's bday celebration last July 29, 2017. Morag kompleto mi siblings ato panahona. Mao pa toy pag-adto naho didto pero second time na to nahos Garcia-Hernandez. I was there in high school man for BACS ALM competition. Lingaw sila slide2 didto. Kadyot ra kaju ko naligo kay panuhuton lagi ako likod. Jia you to us all!

Tiya Esming's House

I think ikaduha na to nako damgo sa balay nila Tiya Esming sa Cawayanan. Kami mn kunoy nagpuyo didto nya gibantayan daw namo nga di makasulod si Tiyo Ador. Heheh. Lemme check unsay meaning ing ani nga damgo. Hahah!

Pasensya, Ate

These were the words Jong2 Tortor left me with this afternoon when I sent him off at Pier 3. Niuli mn sya ron sa Cortes kay mao kuno ila sabot ni Zoe. Niari ra daw sya for the RAFI interview last Tuesday. Ako sya ingnan nga magtarong sila sabot ni Zoe kung asa sya work. Kay okay ra mn ko diri sija pujo sa PH. So ang budget sa pag-apply2 nija phon maoy need nija iandam. Cge Jong, God bless!

Challenging Weekend January 13, 2018

Last Saturday was the most challenging weekend so far for me. I was in Dumaguete City when I received a text that si Jong2 Tortor, Lola Senda's apo is on his way to Cebu. Mag-interview mn daw xas RAFI mao niari sya diri. Mora ko'g gikilatan oi. Nahitabo pa jud that bawod kaju sa Sibulan mao didto kos Tampi nisakay. 7pm na ko naabot sa Liloan, Santander. Uwan2 pa jud. Wahh! To cut the long story short, past 11pm na nako natagbo si Jong2 sa Pier 3. Wa pud ko pasagdi ni Lord coz gihatagan ko niya ug van ug driver pud nga buotan. God bless you, Kuya. Thanks for the ride and the time. Looking forward to another good weekend sa Dumaguete next weekend pohon. Lingaw na mi klasm8s kay barkada n mn mi. Jia you!

Maluenda

He's my elementary classmate. I think he must be years older than me coz mga ulitawo na gud na sila Salposial ug Alex Cruan when we were in Grade 6. I only heard from him again in 2013 diay but nagsamok2 jud in late 2014. Naas military na daw sija ron, sundalo. Ingnan jud ko dayon ni Ingko Lopoz nga lisud ng sundalo kay dagha'g asawa. Mao. I had managed to forget him these past few years. But somehow napugos kog kontak niya coz our fellow elem classmate and my cousin, si Jojo Mantahinay asked for his number man. Saun! Moinsist lagi siya nga dugay ra sila nagbuwag sa iyang asawa. Unya kung buwag lang ug walay legal separation, xempre minjo gihapon sija. Ajaw pagjama2 diha Dong oi. Liwat raba nija ilang anak. Morag teenager na. Kita mn kos FB before. Cge jia you to us all!

JCs

I met two JCs in SG in 2005. They represent Green and Blue. Let me describe them here: JC1 is Green. I met him at the Computer Centre bus stop. Apparently isang grupo sila na nag-aaral sa NUS. He was the one who told me to get a SG number na. Coz I was holding on to my SUN plan mn from the Philippines. He's a former ECE instructor at DLSU. He now works in Prulife Singapore. He called me man diay in Christmas 2006 when he came home and we were chatting on YM when I was here in Philippines. But when I came back to SG in Jan 2008, nauwaw kos ako gipangsulti. He even met me at the Church of St Teresa near Tanjong Pagar. Right now, he's active sa Singles for Christ didto. One friend said bading sya. I dunno, di mn cguro. All the best! JC2 is Blue. I remember very well that magbutang sya'g jacket in his seat sa NUS Library Reading Area. That way nako siya napansin. And we were formally introduced by a common friend on 23 Sept 2005, day after I came back to SG after I snuck home during the study break. Good friends mn gud silas Ateneo ni friend. He eventually became my confidante when I was having a really hard time in NUS. But somehow I felt that he tried to bring me to his church, born-again mn siya, mao iwas2 ko niya. Right now, he's an accomplished academic. Winner pa gani of the National Scientist award. Di na nako siya mareach jud. All the best din to us always! I keep my hopes up. Pit Senyor everyone!

Netherlands

This is the first country outside of Philippines that I stepped foot in. Always and forever n mn cguro ako love affair with this low-lying country. Jia you Doki. Start the new year with your hopes bright up! ;) Almost every province na cguro pud in Holland I've been to: 1. Utrecht - for Mette and Fanneke's dinner. They're Dutch students I met at USC immediately before I left for ISS 2. Nijmegen - Marije's place before. She studied at KUN man. 3. Enschede - to visit fellow Filipino scholars in ITC 4. Amsterdam - do I need to say why people go to A'dam for? Hahah. 5. Rotterdam - you know... the masses of Father Jovic where we'd get to tag along 6. Arnhem - for our Holy Week retreat with Fr. Jovic, Madon and Any at Oosterbeek 7. Dordrecht - our drop off point for the Lourdes-Fatima pilgrimage 8. Gouda - for the Xmas tree lighting ceremony 9. Zoetermeer - for our despedida before returning to Phils. 10. Rijswijk - where I bought my printer. kabaguod tawn ko ato 11. Delft - for our 1st outing as a batch and for so many trips thereafter 12. Groningen and Friesland for the NUFFIC tour - kami ni Madon ang kauban ato, Achara was there too 13. Keukenhof - for the ISS summer outing 14. Heemstede -Fanneke's hometown - went there with Madon 15. Maastricht - our stepping point for the Germany-Austria trip ;) 16. Zaanse Schans in Zaandam - a well-preserved Dutch village. This was our culminating activity for our week-long introduction to life in the Netherlands 17. Bennekom - for our class field trip 18. Voorburg - I think this is the location of the Refugee Center where Any took on the lead after Ben White and Gitta Morag Zeeland na lang ang wa pa naho maadto. Naa didto ang ilang big storm surge project. Hup Holland Hup!

Lola Senciang's Old House

Every now and then maapil jud sa ako damgo ang old house ni Lola Senciang nga naay hagdan sa atubangan then morag naay part nga ubos then kusina then hagdan padung sa pasung. Unsa to ako damgo last night? Morag diha daw contest nya morag di ko pwede mojoin. Baw unsa to oi. Basta ang dating, tinimbang ka ngunit kulang. Heheh. Cge lng gud Doki. Everything's gonna be okay lagi. Trust God in everything. Amen!

New Year 2018

I have a robbery star daw this year so not necessarily a lucky year for me. Cge lang Doki, keep your hopes up lang gud. Ginoo ra mn jud nakahibaw sa tanan. God bless us always! Maybe it's a good way to lay out some plans coz new year na mn jud. Gusto nako bayran ang NUS this year if maabot na ako kwarta pambayad. So that after that, makabisita na ko didto pohon. Gusto pud ko bisita PP in summer pohon. Coz di na ko tagdon ni Nicolas mn gud. Jia you Doki sa mga plano.